Solmanac

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The year 1928

See 1927See 1929

January

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February

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March

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April

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May

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June

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July

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August

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September

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October

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November

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December

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Jan 4PerihelionEarth is closest to the Sun. Here Earth moves fastest in its orbit, and the Moon's pull can shift the date by more than a day.Feb 5February Cross-QuarterThe Sun reaches ecliptic longitude 315°, halfway from the December Solstice to the March Equinox. It is the astronomical moment behind the Gaelic festival of Imbolc (IM-bolk), traditionally kept on Feb 1.Feb 12Great LatesunThe Sun is farther behind the clock than at any other time of year. The solar day is exactly 24 hours, and from here the Sun starts to catch up.Mar 20March EquinoxThe Sun crosses the celestial equator, heading north. Day and night are nearly equal everywhere.Mar 26Minor ShortsolThe solar day reaches its smaller dip of the year. The Sun is gaining on the clock at its fastest for months.Apr 2Outward MidreachEarth is exactly 1 AU from the Sun, close to halfway between its nearest and farthest. From here Earth moves out toward aphelion.Apr 13Northbound EchosunThe analemma crosses itself. At clock noon the Sun is in the same spot it will occupy on Aug 30, but now it is moving north.Apr 15Vernal EvensunThe sundial and the clock agree. From here the Sun runs early, building toward Lesser Earlysun.May 5May Cross-QuarterThe Sun reaches ecliptic longitude 45°, halfway from the March Equinox to the June Solstice. It is the astronomical moment behind the Gaelic festival of Beltane (BELL-tain), traditionally kept on May 1.May 14Lesser EarlysunThe Sun reaches its smaller peak ahead of the clock. The solar day is exactly 24 hours, and from here the Sun starts to lose ground.Jun 14Estival EvensunThe sundial and the clock agree. From here the Sun runs late, building toward Lesser Latesun.Jun 20Minor LongsolThe solar day reaches its smaller peak of the year. The Sun is falling behind the clock at its fastest for months.Jun 21June SolsticeThe Sun reaches its farthest point north. The longest day in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest in the Southern.Jul 4AphelionEarth is farthest from the Sun. Here Earth moves slowest in its orbit, and the Moon's pull can shift the date by more than a day.Jul 26Lesser LatesunThe Sun reaches its smaller peak behind the clock. The solar day is exactly 24 hours, and from here the Sun starts to catch up.Aug 7August Cross-QuarterThe Sun reaches ecliptic longitude 135°, halfway from the June Solstice to the September Equinox. It is the astronomical moment behind the Gaelic festival of Lughnasadh (LOO-nuh-suh), traditionally kept on Aug 1.Aug 30Southbound EchosunThe analemma crosses itself. At clock noon the Sun is in the same spot it occupied on Apr 13, but now it is moving south.Sep 1Autumnal EvensunThe sundial and the clock agree. From here the Sun runs early, building toward Great Earlysun.Sep 17Major ShortsolThe shortest solar day of the year. The Sun is gaining on the clock at its fastest.Sep 23September EquinoxThe Sun crosses the celestial equator, heading south. Day and night are nearly equal everywhere.Oct 4Inward MidreachEarth is exactly 1 AU from the Sun, close to halfway between its nearest and farthest. From here Earth moves in toward perihelion.Nov 3Great EarlysunThe Sun is farther ahead of the clock than at any other time of year. The solar day is exactly 24 hours, and from here the Sun starts to lose ground.Nov 7November Cross-QuarterThe Sun reaches ecliptic longitude 225°, halfway from the September Equinox to the December Solstice. It is the astronomical moment behind the Gaelic festival of Samhain (SOW-in), traditionally kept on Nov 1.Dec 22December SolsticeThe Sun reaches its farthest point south. The shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest in the Southern.Dec 23Major LongsolThe longest solar day of the year. The Sun is falling behind the clock at its fastest.Dec 25Hibernal EvensunThe sundial and the clock agree. From here the Sun runs late, building toward Great Latesun.

Times are computed from NASA JPL's DE440 ephemeris and shown in your time zone. ≈ marks moments whose exact hour means little. Clock noon here means mean noon at your exact longitude, which can differ from 12:00 on your clock by up to an hour depending on where you sit in your time zone. The figure shows the Sun's position at mean noon at true angular scale, as seen facing south from the Northern Hemisphere: June at the top, the early Sun on the right.

built by Aaron Hanson